Shipper dispenser



July 2, 1963 J, P. HAMILTON SHIPPER DISPENSER Filed Nov. 3, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 2.

INVENTOR:

PORTOLA HAMILTON ATTORNEY July 2, 1963 J. P. HAMILTON SHIPPER DISPENSER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 3. 1960 FIG. 7

..N Rm mMN mMR VMm N T [A 0 n 0 P United States Patent 3,095,968 SHHPER DISPENSER Joseph Portola Hamilton, Oakland, Calif., assignor to Crown Zellerbac-n Corporation, San Francisco, Calm, a co oration of Nevada rp Filed Nov. 3, 1960, Ser- No. 67,13?

3 Claims. (Cl. 206-52) The invention pertains generally to a shipping container, constructed of fibreboard, or other suitable bendable material which is adaptable to the packaging ot a broad range of articles of commerce, the container being conveniently convertible to a self standing dispenser for such articles by an easy and convenient manipulation of the container parts without the need of any extraneous materials.

More particularly the invention contemplates a container having two basic elements, namely, an outer shipping container with top and bottom closure means and an interior open ended tubular member or liner which conforms closely to the interior cross section of the container in size and shape. In the outer shipping container lower portions of the side wall, as defined by parallel transverse scores and lines of weakness along the portions of the container side wall junctures included between said transverse scores are adapted to be exteriorly folded to provide pedestal like triangular formations which support the container in an upright condition for convenient dispensing of the articles packed therein.

In the particular embodiment described herein the invention resides in a strap dispensing container adapted to the packaging and dispensing of a multiplicity of rolls of flexible strap material. It has been the practice in the past to package such rolls individually or, in the ternative, it Was necessary to provide an axle mounting for the rolls which was adapted to be suspended in some manner whereby the strapping material could be conveniently dispensed. By means of the present invention, the rolls of strapping materials are maintained in vertical relation so that they might revolve readily about their center axis as the ends of the strapping material are pulled from the package and thereby providing the desired amount of strapping material without difiiculty as by kinking or snarling which might otherwise occur if the rolls are not confined in the desirable vertical disposition.

The rolls of strapping material are maintained in the desired vertical relation in the upright strapping container by means of a saddle like interior supporting member conforming generally to the contour of the bottom portion of the rolls and 'by the inclusion of alternate rolls in the container in closely fitting open ended sleeves. These sleeves act as separators between the rolls and thereby prevent misarrangement of the strap material. The sleeves are maintained in a determined position within the container by the provision of paired aligned slots in the saddle like interior member which are adapted to receive and retain lower corner portions of said sleeves.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a shipper dispenser comprising an outer shipping container and an inner rigidifying liner with the shipping container having bottom wall portions adapted to be outwardly extended to provide a truss like support to maintain the container in upright condition while the container con tents are being dispensed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shipper dispenser comprising an outer shipping container with top and bottom closure means and a rigidifying liner conforming closely to the interior dimensions of the container wherein portions of the lower walls of the shipping container are defined by parallel transverse scores and 3,095,968 Patented July 2, 1963 the thus defined wall portions are separated at the container corners by lines of weakness. These lower wall portions or supporting panels are adapted to being folded outwardly by downwardly telescoping the container walls about the rigidifying liner so that the lower supporting panel attains a horizontal disposition in the plane of the bottom closure means and the upper supporting panel becomes angularly disposed in a truss like relation to the plane of the respective container wall.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shipper dispenser tor a multiple arrangement of rolls of flexible strapping materials wherein the lower wall portions of the shipping container may be extended outwardly in truss like arrangement to support the container in vertical disposition and the container includes therein a rigidifying open ended liner conforming to the interior dimensions of the container, the liner being open on the ends thereby providing a horizontal top shelf for convenient attachment of the ends of the strapping material in a continuously accessible manner.

Still another object is to provide in a shipper dispenser of the character described, a means for supporting and separating a multiple arrangement of rolls of strapping material, said means comprising an interior transversely scored saddle like supporting member conforming to the lower portions of the rolls of strapping and closely fitting open ended tubular members enclosing alternate rolls of strapping. The tubular members being retained in predetermined spaced relation in the container by the provision of pairs of aligned slots in the supporting saddle member adapted to receive and retain lower corner portions of said tubular members.

These and other objects will be apparent upon a further understanding of the invention as described and set fiorth in the following description. The accompanying drawings illustrate an embodiment of the invention and form a part of the specification. Like numerals and symbols therein appearing refer to like parts wherever they occur.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating the outer shipping container of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating the rigidifying liner which is included within the shipping container.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the container assembly showing the assembled inner liner preparatory to insertion in the assembled container.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the fully assembled container with top closure in place preparatory to shipment.

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a plurality of rolls of strapping material supported on an interior saddle member and separated by sleeves enclosing alternate such rolls preparatory to insertion in the assembled rigidifying liner and outer shipping container.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the container in dispensing condition with the supporting panels outwardly extended and the ends of the rolls of strapping material supported on the top shelf.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the container illustrating the provision of a tear strip to facilitate removal of the top closure preparatory to arranging the container in dispensing condition.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a container in dispensing condition, the container having a partial depth liner open on the top and bottom.

The container blank is shown in FIG. 1 wherein horizontal scores 10 and ill define the top and bottom edges respectively of the side walls A, B, C and D and also the interior edges of the top closure flaps 12, 13, 14 and 15 and the bottom closure flaps l6, l7, l8 and 19 respectively. Horizontal scores 20 and 21 define the inner and outer hinge lines of outwardly foldable upper supporting panels 22, 23, 24- and 25. Score 21 also defines the inner hinge of lower supporting panels as, 27, 28 and 29. The lower portions of the side walls A, B, C andD designated as supporting panels 22 to 2? formthe supporting floor stand when the container is converted to a display and dispensing unit at the point of use.

Vertical scores 30, 31, 32 and 33 define the side boundaries and the connections of the container side walls A, B, C and D and score 33 also defines the inner boundary and hinge line of securing flap 34. Vertical slots 35, 36 and 37 separate the top closure flaps 12, 13, 14 and 15 respectively, while vertical slots 38, 39 and 46 separate the bottom closure fiaps'll, 17, i8 and 19 and are extended along the connections of the side walls as defined by vertical scores 39, 31 and 32 to separate and define the edges of the supporting panels 22 to 29'. V

The inner liner blank illustrated in FIG. 2 comprises integral foldably connected panels E, F, G and H defined by scores 41, 42 and 43. These panels are so proportioned that the liner may be assembled in tubular relation and inserted in the shipping container, conforming closely to the cross sectional dimensions thereof. in specific instances the liner may be proportioned to be disposed either horizontally or vertically in the container for reasons that will be hereinafter described.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the assembled rigidifying liner illustrated in FIG. 2, loaded with a plurality of rolls of strap material S preparatory to insertion into the assembled container formed from the blank illustrated in FIG. 1. When the container is utilized for strapping materials it has been found most advantageous to utilize a horizontally disposed rigidifying liner as shown, that is, open on the ends.

A loaded container with the rigidifying liner and contents therein and the top closure flaps in closed secured relation is illustrated in FIG. 4. It is to be noted that the supporting panels, 23, 24, 27 and 28 being shown, comprising the lower portion of the container side walls are in vertical aligned relation prior to their utilization as a supporting floor stand.

FIG. is an exploded view illustrating a specific embodiment of the invention designed to package, display and dispense a plurality of rolls of strap materials. In the top portion of this figure, tubular sleeves 44 are arranged about alternate rolls of strapping in closely fitting relation thereto and thereby functioning as dividers between the rolls. The saddle like scored pad 45 is comprised of a transversely scored series of panels adapted to conform to the lower portion of the contour of the rolls of strapping material. The saddle pad supports the rolls S in the container and in addition provides means for positioning thetubular sleeves in a determined spaced relation in the container. The means comprises pairs of aligned slots 46 adapted to receive and retain lower corner portions of each of the tubular sleeves 44. The assembly of strapping material, tubular sleeves 44, and saddle like supporting member 45 are arranged within the horizontally disposed rigidifying liner which is positioned within the assembled container preparatory to sealing the top closure flaps thereto.

FIG. 6 illustrates the container following opening of the top closure and the telescoping or" the container walls downwardly about the liner with the bottom supporting panels 26 to 29 forced outwardly into planar relation with the container bottom closure. The upper supporting panels 22 to 25 thus become disposed in angular truss like relationship to the plane of the respective container walls A, B, C and D'forming a'self supporting floor stand arrangement for the container.

It is to be noted in FIG. 6 that the ends of the rolls of strapping material may be fastened to the top panel member F of the rigidifying liner which forms a horizontal shelf in the operative dispensing condition of the container. The strap ends may be secured to this shelf when l the container is originally packed to facilitate the eventual use of the container for dispensing without the neces sity of disassembling the container component parts in order to fish out the strap ends. Further, as is often the case, the strapping materials are often used over a period of time and during the intervals intervening such useage the strap ends may again be secured to the shelf to assure easy access. The shelf also provides a convenient resting place for the required strapping tools and the like.

In FIGS. 7 and 8 there is illustrated a modification of the container which is particularly adapted to the display and the dispensing of articles of a nature that they are adapted to contribute to the stacking strength of the container during shipment and storage, as the rigid batons 47 shown. In this case the liner may be disposed vertically in the container, that is, open on the top and bottom and may be of a height less than that of the container and thereby economize on the amount of material required and also provide better display of the articles therein through the greater exposureof these articles resulting from the reduced overall container height in the dispensing condition. It should be noted that in every case the container top closure must necessarily be opened or removed to permit telescoping the container walls A, B, C and D downward about the rigidifying liner and thereby permitting the supporting panels 22 to 29 to fold outwardly into container supporting relation. The top closure may be opened by any convenient means as by .the use of tear strip, as shown in FIG. 7.

The container and liner blanks may be assembled in any suitable manner. For example, the container may be conveniently assembled into tubular form by folding the blank upon itself about the vertical scores 39 land 32 and attaching the securing flap 34 to the remote free outer side margin of the wall C by adhesive bonding or stitching in a conventional manner. In the alternative, the securing flap 34 may be entirely omitted and the blank edges secured together by means of adhesively bonded tape. The thus secured together blank may then be opened to tubular form and the bottom flaps 16 to infolded and secured together in fiatwise relation by means of glue, staples or other suitable means.

The rigidifying liner blank, FIG. 2, may be assembled by folding into tubular form and then either inserting it into the container in horizontal or vertical relation as may be required. If greater container. rigidity or protection of the contents is required, the remote side edges of the liner may be secured together by means of tape or by the utilization of an overlapping securing flap in the .same'manner as illustrated in conjunction with the container blank. I

It is to be noted that the bottom supporting panels 26 to 29 are of a less vertical height than the top supporting panels 22 to 25 as viewed in FIG. 1 to permit the desired triangular formation of these panels in the operative container supporting relation. It may be expected that the scoring of the container walls and the upward extension of the slots to define the supporting panel end edges may reduce the top load carrying capacity of the container, however, any loss of container rigidity incurred from this construction is compensated for by the intact vertical walls of the inner rigidifying line-r. In the ordinary utilization of the invention the liner walls abut the under surface of the container top closure when loaded ready for shipment and thereby contributes to the compressive strength of the container as well as rigidifying the lower container walls and protecting the container contents from possible exposure or damage. This provision for stacking compression resistance is not needed in some instances as hereinbefore described in relation to articles which are of a nature to contribute to the stacking strength of the container and the liner may be of a less height than the container as described in conjunction with FiGS. 7 and 8.

It is also contemplated that the extensions of the bottom closure slots 38 to 40 which separate the supporting panels are subject to modification as for example the use of perforations or partial slitting of the fibreboard material from which the container is tormed so that at least partial strength may be retained in the lower corner portions of the container while still lending itself to easy cutting or rupturing of these fold lines to permit the outward extension of the supporting panels 22 to 29.

It is to be understood that the embodiments herein described are illustrative and not restrictive and it is also to be understood that this invention may be susceptible to embodiment in other modified forms and that all such modifications which are similar or equivalent hereto come equally within the scope of the claims nex-t appearing.

In the claims:

1. A rectangular dispensing package for at least three rolls of strap material comprising a container having opposed pairs of side and end walls, top and bottom closure means and an inner liner conforming to a transverse section of the container, said container including a strap supporting member and means for converting said container to a self-supporting dispensing stand, said means comprising upper and lower parallel supporting panels in the lower marginal portions of each container wall, said supporting panels hinged to each other and with the lower panels hinged to the bottom closure means, said lower supporting panel adapted to be folded outwardly into the plane of the container bottom closure means and the upper supporting panel folded angularly to the plane of the respective container wall and to said lower supporting panel when the container top closure means is opened and the container walls telescoped downwardly about the liner, the upper and lower panels forming an extending base member supporting the container in upright condition for dispensing the rolls of strap material, said rolls being positioned on an interior supporting member comprised of a series of foldably connected panels in aligned relation, said supporting member conforming generally to a lower portion of the perimeter of the rolls, at least one of said rolls enclosed in a closely fitting open ended tubular member, means in said supporting member for positioning the at least one enclosed roll of strapping material.

2. In the strap dispensing package claimed in claim 1 the means for positioning the at least one enclosed roll of strapping material comprising a pair of aligned slots adapted to receive lower corner portions of the closely fitting open ended tubular member.

3. A container readily convertible to a self-supporting stand, the container formed firom foldable sheet material and comprising opposed parallel pairs of side and end walls, top and bottom closure means and an inner rigidifying liner, each of said side and end walls including a main body panel and two subjacent p anels hingedly connected to the main body panels and to each other, the main body panels of the side and end walls only being connected together by fold lines to form a container, said subjacent panels of the side and end walls being free and unconnected at their side edges to said main body panels and to each other, top closure means secured to the main side and end wall panels, bottom closure means secured to the lowermost of said subjacent side and end wall panels, the liner disposed within said container and in contacting and parallel relation with the interior surfaces of said main and subjacent side and end Wall panels, said liner being in sliding contact with the opposed pairs of side and end walls, said container with the top closure means unsealed convertible to a self-supporting stand by telescoping downwardly said main body panels about the rigidifying liner, the lowermost of said subjacent panels folding outwardly about their respective fold lines and said bottom closure means into truss-like relation with the outer face of said lowermost subjacent panels in substantial engagement with a supporting surface with the uppermost subjacent panels disposed angularly to the plane of the respective main side wall panels and forming a self-supporting stand.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 914,321 Syner Mar. 2, 1909 1,407,526 Glover Feb. 21, 1922 1,953,418 MacDonald Apr. 3, 1934 2,547,849 Barry Apr. 3, 1951 3,006,165 M-ittelberger Oct. 31, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 492,079 France Mar. 4, 1919 631,054 Germany June 11, 1936 

3. A CONTAINER READILY CONVERTIBLE TO A SEFL-SUPPORTING STAND, THE CONTAINER FORMED FROM FOLDABLE SHEET MATERIAL AND COMPRISING OPPOSED PARALLEL PAIRS OF SIDE AND END WALLS, TOP AND BOTTOM CLOSURE MEANS AND AN INNER RIGIDIFYING LINER, EACH OF SAID SIDE AND END WALLS INCLUDING A MAIN BODY PANEL AND TWO SUBJACENT PANELS HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO THE MAIN BODY PANELS AND TO EACH OTHER, THE MAIN BODY PANELS OF THE SIDE AND END WALLS ONLY BEING CONNECTED TOGETHER BY FOLDS LINES TO FORM A CONTAINER, SAID SUBJACENT PANELS OF THE SIDE AND END WALLS BEING FREE AND UNCONNECTED AT THEIR SIDE EDGES TO SAID MAIN BODY PANELS AND TO EACH OTHER, TOP CLOSURE MEANS SECURED TO THE MAIN SIDE AND END WALL PANELS, BOTTOM CLOSURE MEANS SECURED TO THE LOWERMOST OF SAID SUBJACENT SIDE AND END WALL PANELS, THE LINER DISPOSED WITHIN SAID CONTAINER AND IN CONTACTING AND PARALLEL RELATION WITH THE INTERIOR SURFACES OF SAID MAIN AND SUBJACENT SIDE AND END WALL PANELS, SAID LINER BEING IN SLIDING CONTACT WITH THE OPPOSED PAIRS OF SIDE AND END WALLS, SAID CONTAINER WITH THE TOP CLOSURE MEANS UNSEALED CONVERTIBLE TO A SELF-SUPPORTING STAND BY TELESCOPING DOWNWARDLY SAID MAIN BODY PANELS ABOUT THE RIGIDIFYING LINER, THE LOWERMOST OF SAID SUBJACENT PANELS FOLDING OUTWARDLY ABOUT THEIR RESPECTIVE FOLD LINER AND SAID BOTTOM CLOSURE MEANS INTO TRUSS-LIKE RELATION WITH THE OUTER FACE OF SAID LOWERMOST SUBJACENT PANELS IN SUBSTANTIAL ENGAGEMENT WITH A SUPPORTING SURFACE WITH THE UPPERMOST SUBJACENT PANELS DISPOSED ANGULARLY TO THE PLANE OF THE RESPECTIVE MAIN SIDE WALL PANELS AND FORMING A SELF-SUPPORTING STAND. 